The treatment of insomnia through mass media, the results of a televised behavioural training programme

An important trend in behavioural medicine is a psycho-educational approach to health problems. A training course aimed at the treatment of sleep disorders has been developed using the following basic principles: (1) a symptomatic approach, (2) emphasis on information on sleep and sleep disorders, (3) self-management, and (4) interventions based on behaviour therapeutic principles that are further developed for the treatment of sleep disorders. Because the results of courses used in primary health care were encouraging, a similar training course of eight programmes was broadcasted by the Dutch educational radio and television station Teleac. About 200,000 people viewed the course, 23,000 of whom ordered the course material. The results of the training course were assessed from a sample (N = 325) by means of a sleep diary in a pre-test, post-test and a follow-up condition. In addition, several questionnaires were used to collect information on personality factors and on physical and psychological complaints. The training produced an estimated decrease in sleep latency of 25 minutes. The duration of sleep increased by nearly 40 minutes. Of the people using hypnotic drugs 40% ceased their use after the course. The training course broadcasted by Teleac is found to be an effective means of improving sleeping behaviour. The results of the course are comparable with interventions that use direct therapist-client contact, suggesting that the presence of a therapist in this approach may not be of crucial importance. The decrease in the use of hypnotics makes the approach cost-effective.